Hobby horse



United States Patent O 3,103,356 HOKBY HORSE Francis A. Heines, 4174Fredericlrs Ave., Memphis, Term. Filed Apr. 7, 1958, Ser. No. 726,675 8Claims. (Cl. 272-52) This invention relates to an anrusernent device tobe ridden by children, and more particularly it relates to a hobbyhorse.

An object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind whichgives a vigorous and entertaining ride to children but which isexceptionally safe and sturd-y.

A more particular object is to provide a hobby horse Ihaving improvedriding characteristics and simplified but rugged construction.

`Another object is to provide such a horse which can be manufacturedeconomically and which has a construction which lends itself to `easyfinal assembly by the purchaser so that it can be delivered to himpacked cornpactly in knocked4down condition.

The reason for the Popularity of 'one kind of hobby horse in preferenceto another kind is not entirely predictable, but in this day and age itappears that the more wild and woolly a ride the horse gives, thebetter. Precisely because such a vigorous, bouncing ride is -desired bythe youngsters, however, the Suspension of the horse body poses quite aproblem. Sizable mechanical forces are developed and the moun'ting frameof the horse must `be able to wit'hstand these with complete reliabilityand without 'danger of tipping over. Since a hobby horse is likely to beridden by children 'off all ages, its mounting arrangernent must bestiff enough to accommodate the weight and strength of older childrenbut yet limber enough so that a young child can get a sufficientlybouncy ride. Moreover, and particularly with regard to very youngchildren, the structure of the horse and frame must not presenthazardous Sharp members to fall against, or dangerous moving elements to*get caught in.

From the manufacturer's point of view a hobby horse, in addition ltohaving all these desirable riding qualities and Safety features, mustalso be economical to manufaoture. Requirements such as criticalmechanical tolerances or strengths, specially shaped Springs, orexcessive number of parts have made many previous hobby horse desi-gnscompletely impractical to produce. Furthermore, even though a particularhorse can be produced at a reasonable cost, for it to be a nationwidecommercial success and with shipping 'costs as high as they are, it mustbe Suscepti'ble to distribution and final delivery to the purchaser inknocked down, compactly packed condition ready for quick assem'bly. Thepresent invention provides a 'hobby 'horse which possesses thesedesirable qualities of manufacturing and rdistributing economy, ofSafety and Studiness, and of vigorous, entertaining riding qualties.

In aooordance with the -present invention, in one specific em'bodimentthereof, there is provided a hobby horse wherein the body of the horseis mounted upon the top end of a generally upright, Strong slender metaltube or post. The lower end 'of the post ex'tends down into a box-likebase through a guide slot in the top of the base and is pivoted justabove the floor so that its upper end can swing back and forth. Actingto hold this post normally in Vertical position are a number of simpleand inex'pensive tension springs 'fastened to it just underneath the topof the 'base and completely concealed it. The lower end of the postabove its pivot is a two-piece rotatable and slidable section actingagains-t a compression spring inside the post so that the horse body onthe upper end, in addition to being able to swing back and "ice forth,can smultaneously bounce up' and down and also turn in a circle with thepost as the center.

The base of this hobby horse provides a convenient mounting platform fora child in getting on or off of the horse and i-t is low enough to thefio'or so lthat no matter how vigorously the horse is ridden it will nottip over nor slide or 'walk across the floor. The 'guide slot in the topof the base positively prevents the support post from wobbling to eitherside and l'ikewise limi'ts its forward and backward swing. The base lisadvantageously just large enough so that the horse body and supportingpost can be packed dis-assembled within it for delivery to thepurchaser. Thus packing, shipping and Storage costs are minimized.

A better understanding of the invention together with a fullerappreciation of its many advantages will best be gained from a study ofthe following description given in connection with the acoompanying'drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a hobby horse embodying features ofthe inventiou;

'FIGURE 2 is a side section view of the base showing the pivotalmounting of the lower end 'of the support post;

'FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view 'of the base; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged section view taken as indicated in FIGURE 2.

The hobby horse 10 seen in FIGURE 1 oomprises a 'horse lbody 12 whioh isrigidly mounted on the upper end of a support post 14. The lower end ofthis post extends into a stationary, 'box-like holl'o'w base 16 througha vguide Slot 18. VCantilevered rforward from the upper end of this postis a T-shaped foot rest 19.

As seen in FIGURES Z and 3, the bottom end of post 14 is bolted at 2d toa transverse shaft 22 whose ends are rotatably journaled in a pair ofbearin'gs 24 each of which in turn is screwed onto a respectivelongitudinal side of the base. The upper end of post 14 is thus able toswing back and forth in a Vertical plane as indicated in FIGURE 2 by thearrow 25, the front and rear limits of swing of |the post beingindicated by the dotted lines and being determined by the ends of slot18. The Sides of slot 18 are positioned parallel to each other and tothe length of the base. They lie closely against each side of supportpost 14 and thus prevent Sidewise play |of the post and possiblebindin'g of its bottom pivot.

Fastened to ysupport post-14 just beneath the topi of base 16 is across-brace 26 positioned at right-angles to it and to guide slot 18.Stretching to this cross-brace on opposite Sid'es of it are sixspaced-apart tension ysprings 28 whose outer ends are fastened to arespective one of the two fixed rods 30. The ends of these rodS areattached at points 32 'to opposite sides of the base at a distancebeneath the top such that springs 28` in their rest position shown inFIGURE 2 are approximately horizontal. When support post 114 is -swungback and forth, the springs 28 first on one side of cross-brace 26 andthen the springs 28 on the other side are alternately stretched andrelaxed and thus act to restore the post to its normal Verticalposition. Springs 28 are of a kind readily obtainable in any hard- W'arestore, and as many springs as may be necessary to accommodate themaximum designed load on the support post can be used. The danger 'froma Spring breaking, since they are totally enclosed 'within the base, isminirnized lbut even if they were all to break no harm would come to thechild riding the horse because the support post can not swing 'fartherthan the limits set by slot 18.

As seen in FIGURE 4, which is an enlarged transverse sectional viewtaken as indicated in FIGURE 2, the lower end of support post 14 is madein two Sections to permit up and down bouncing in the direction of arrow34 and also circular rotation in the direction of arrow '35. The innerof these two Sections .fi-s a one-piece metal tube 36 which extendsupward to the horse body and screwed to it. The lower end of this tubeis 'telescoped within and slidable rel'ative to' a metal 'sleeve 38whose bottom end is closed and is bolted :at 2d to the piv'ot shaft 22.Positioned within 'sleeve 38 beneath tube 36 is an ondinary compressioncoil spring 39, the upper 'end of which bears against a plug 40 fastenedonto the bottom of tube 36. This plug `closes the bottom of the tube andsurrounds it for a 'short length 'with an 'annnlar shoulder 42. Thelatte'r 'serves 'as a 'bearing and holds the lower end of tube 36-,which is 'of smaller 'diameter than the inside dirnension of sleeve 38,concentric within the sleeve. The upper end of sleeve 38 is 'capped by aremovable bearin-g nut 44 'whose inside surface 46 contacts tube 36 andholds it centered. In addition, this nut has 'a 'bottom surface 48'which limi'ts the 'upward sliding of tube 36 relative to sleeve 38 byabutt-in'g lagainst the top' of bear'ing shoulder 42. Thus tube 36 is'free to' slide np and 'down 'within 'sleeve 38 against the action ofspring 39 and at the same time is free to rotate 360' relative to it.Spring 39 is completely enclosed and even if it 'breaks the horse canstill safely be ridden. In the event that only -up and down sliding butnot rotation of 'tube 36 relative to sleeve 38 is 'desired, the two canbe .splined together by inserting a pin in a hole 50 in the lower end oftube 36, a lengthwise slot 52 being provided in 'the upper end of sleeve38 to guide the pin.

-By unscrewing bealing nut 44, tube 36 'can easily be withdrawn 'fromsleeve 38. Lik'ewise, this tube, 'foot rest 19 and the horse body can beunscrewed 'from each other. Then by 'u'nfastening pivot 'shaft 22 fromthe b'ase and spring-s 2'8 from cross lbrace 26', sleeve 38 'can beremoved through 'slot118 and all these parts compactly and securelypacked within |base 16. Thus the base can also serve as a shippingcrate. The base of a hobby horse sub'stantially the same as thatill'ustrated and which has been built and successful-y tested was madeof 1/2 inch plywoo'd, and was approximately 3 lfeet by 2 feet by 8inches. Tube 36 was an aluminum pipe 'one inch in diameter.

The above description of the invention is intended in il'lustration andnot in limitation thereof. Various changes may occur to' those 'skilledin the ant and these may be made without 'dep'arting from the spirit 'orscope of the invention as set forth.

I claim:

1. An amusement device for children compr'ising a hollow enclosed baseadapted to rest upon the floor, having a height `of several inches andhaving a central slot opening in its top, a strong slender post pivoted`at its bottom end inside said base just above the floor, said postextending upward through said slot the end's 'of which limit the for-Ward and lbackward swinging of said post and the sides of which 'limitlsidewise play, la seat for a child 'to 'sit on and which -is mounted onthe top end of said post a substantial distance above said base, atleast 'two 'oppo'sed springs connected to said post closely beneath saidslot and normally urging :said post 'to Vertical position, 'andresilient means permitting said seat 'to bounce up and down above said'base while simultaneously swi'n'ging back `and 'forth.

2. The structure as in claim 1 wherein said resilient means 'comprises acompression `spring enclosed within said post, said post being in twoSections which are slidably telescoped together but urged apart 'by saidcompression spring.

3. An improved 'hobby horse comprising a simulated horse body, a longslender rigid support member extending generally downward from saidbody, said member being in two Sections 'which are axially slidable backand forth relat'ive to each other, a thin broad base adapted to restupon the iloor, means carried by said base to pivotally support thebottom end of said member just above the iloor, spring means acting onsaid member to nonmally hold it Vertical, and a spring recessed in saidmember to resist the 'aXial sliding together of said Sections.

'4. The structure as in cla'im 3 wherein the outside diameter of thefirst of said Sections is smaller than the inside diameter of the secondsection, said 'first section having on its end a bearing sleeve engagingthe inside of said second section, said second section having on its enda removable bearing collar engaging said first section and alsopreventing them from sliding apart, Said recessed spring being 'acompression coil spring positioned axially Within said second sectionand 'engaged against the end of said first section.

5. A safe, sturdy and inexpensive hobby horse comprising a simulatedhorse body adapted to be ridden by a child, a thin rigid metal :tube'fastened to said body and extending downward therefrom, a hollowbox-like base having a generally 'flat rectangular top with a centralrectangular slot opening in it, a short metal sleeve pivoted at itsbottom end just above the bottom of said base and extending upward, 'acompression spring within one of said sleeve and said t'ube andresisting their telescoping farther together, a cross-brace 'fastened tosaid sleeve closely beneath said slot, and opposed p'airs of tensionSprings fastened between said cross-brace and fixed points inside saidbase, said springs being generally parallel to said slot and lyingclosely beneath the top of said base.

6. The structure as in claim 5 'wherein the bottom end of said sleeve ispivoted on a removable shaft extending transversely between the sides ofsaid base, and wherein .the length within said base is greater than thelength of said horse body, the 'width within said base is greater thanthe height of said body and the hei'ght within said base is greater thanthe thickness of said body.

7. An improved hobby horse co'mprising a horse body, an upright supportpost attached at its upper end to said body, a hollow box-like base torest upon the fioor and having a central opening in its top, the lowerend of said v post extending through said opening into said base, meanspivotally mount'ing the lower 'end of said post just above the floor,spring means enclosed -within said base for yieldably holding said postgenerally Vertical, said spring means including two opposed tensionSprings, each of which is stretched in a generally horizontal planebetween said post and a fixed point closely beneath the top of saidbase, said post including two sections slidably telescoped together, andspring means urging said Sections apart whereby said horse body canbounce up and down in addition to swinging back and forth.

8. A safe, sturdy and 'inexpensive hobby horse comprising a simulatedhorse body adapted to be ridden by a child, a thin rigid metal tube`fastened to said body and extending downward therefrom, a hollowbox-like base having a generally 'fiat rectangular top with a centralrectan'gular slot opening in it, a short metal sleeve pivoted on ahorizontal aXis at its bottom end just above the bottom of said base andextending upward, with the tube telescop'ingly disposed in said sleeve,a compression spring within one end of said sleeve bearing against saidtube 'and resisting 'their telescoping farther together, and opposedtension Springs fastened between said tube and fixed points inside saidbase, said Springs being generally parallel to said slot and lyingclosely beneath 'the top' of said base, said tube being lfree to rotaterelative to said sleeve while sirn'ultaneously sliding up and down andswin'ging back and forth.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS575,152 Fogg Ian. 12, 1897 715,887 Smith Dec. 16'I 1902 974,194 SchulzeNov. 1, 1910 1,151,164 Davis Aug. 24, 1915 2,589,5'70 Phillips Mar. 18,19'52 2,597,332 Janes May 20, 1952

3. AN IMPROVED HOBBY HORSE COMPRISING A SIMULATED HORSE BODY, A LONGSLENDER RIGID SUPPORT MEMBER EXTENDING GENERALLY DOWNWARD FROM SAIDBODY, SAID MEMBER BEING IN TWO SECTIONS WHICH ARE AXIALLY SLIDABLE BACKAND FORTH RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER, A THIN BROAD BASE ADAPTED TO REST UPONTHE FLOOR, MEANS CARRIED BY SAID BASE TO PIVOTALLY SUPPORT THE BOTTOMEND OF SAID MEMBER JUST ABOVE THE FLOOR, SPRING MEANS ACTING ON SAIDMEMBER TO NORMALLY